Summary: 2 of 3. Paul exhorted Timothy regarding the place of prayer in the Church. Prayer must take precedence in the Church. When is it obvious that it holds priority? Prayer takes precedence when...

The challenges you/these people face every day are mountainous because of such physical ‘hindrances.’ Yet you/they discover ways to overcome both obstacles.

Likewise, prayer(communication between God & yourself) is vital to individual Christians as well as for Christians gathered for worship.

BUT...sometimes Prayer does not hold the Precedence that it should!

Need:

Paul exhorted Timothy regarding the place of prayer in the Church.

Prayer must take precedence in the Church.

When does prayer hold authority in the church?

7 priorities for prayer in the Church.

Previously we found that Prayer takes precedence when properly...

1. COMPREHENSIVE(:1)

2. UNLIMITED(:1b)

3. RECOGNIZANT(:2)

Today we also find that

4—Prayer takes precedence when properly...

EVANGELISTIC(:3-4)

4—Prayer takes precedence when properly...

EVANGELISTIC(:3-4)

Explanation: (:3-4)

:3—“For this is good & acceptable in the sight of God our Savior,”

:4—“who desires all men to be saved & to come to the knowledge of the truth.”

A)—“For this is good & acceptable in the sight of God our Savior,”

Living “in all godliness & reverence” is God’s intention for us all. Actions which secure such behaviors are integral pleasing God.

It is God’s intention(“desire”) for us to live rightly as He is the agent effecting our salvation. His intention is that we will know Him & be able to freely lead others to Him in truth. This cannot be done unless we are given undisturbed freedom to serve Him(:1-2).

B)—“who desires all men to be saved...”

God’s primary “desire” for His creation is that “all men”(all humanity) experience salvation in Christ...That all mankind get on the same page of the playbook of which God is author.

Man has strayed from the get-go! God has prepared & does prepare, prophets & events which are ordered to return us to Him. All true Christians are God’s tools bringing salvation to all men.

2Cor. 5:18—6:1—“Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, & has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, & has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. We then, as workers together with Him also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain.”

C)—“& to come to the knowledge of the truth.”

The truly “saved” person has placed himself/herself in a position whereby he/she is then capable of extending this to a full “knowledge of” the manifold reality of God’s “truth.” God’s truth is “THE truth!”